Holiday Gifts for Foreign Domestic Helpers

Holiday Gifts for your Domestic Helper

The holidays are a time of year when little children and grown-ups alike look forward to special time together, reflection, and the traditional giving a gifts. Many families also take the opportunity at this special time of year to thank our domestic helpers for their amazing work and show them how much we appreciate everything they do for us. Need inspiration? We have gathered together a shortlist of natural health and wellness ideas to find the perfect gift for your domestic helper.

A Little Something

Everyone loves receiving a thoughtful little something.

Plastic Free HK and NO!W No Waste: Tons of small little gifts that promote zero impact on the environment can be found at Plastic Free HK and Now No Waste.

Clothes and shoes: Find out your foreign domestic helper’s favorite brand of clothing and give a gift card. Then, you can offer an afternoon away from the house for shopping and enjoying your thoughtful little something!

GreenRace: Everyone benefits from time outside. Consider gifting an entry to The Green Race. Help your foreign domestic helper with an exercise plan and make sure he/she has time to train before the big day.

GuavaPass: Guavapass is a fun way to help your foreign domestic helper get moving. Let her choose from fun exercise classes such as trampolining or opt for more traditional yoga.

Healthy Cooking

If your helper likes cooking or if she wants to improve her skills, gift her cooking classes dedicated to domestic workers. She will learn how to source healthy ingredients and how to cook balanced and varied menus.

Home Away from Home

Spending the holidays apart from their families can be extremely tough. A foreign domestic helper that can communicate with her/his family is important over the holidays. Here are some ideas to help facilitate time and ways to bridge the space between her home and her family’s.

If you are away, invite her to spend Christmas with friends at your home.

Invite his/her children to visit.

Allow extra time for communicating with her family at home. Skype, FaceTime, and other modes of communication can help your foreign domestic worker(s) be available for special occasions.

Extra Rest Days

Domestic helpers often have a hectic daily schedule and would gladly welcome extra rest days on Christmas and on other occasions whenever possible. It is important to ensure the well-being of your domestic helper all year long so make sure that she gets enough rest but also healthy food.

Holiday Bonus

Domestic workers are women who left their home country to earn a living, often to give their children a better future or start their business once back home. More than half of domestic workers prefer a cash bonus from their employer, while only a quarter of them receive it.*

Splurge with A Trip Home!

Foreign domestic helpers get to spend time with their families back home on average once every two years. Getting to see loved ones more often can boost morale. Before booking your helper a seat on the next flight to her home country, ask her beforehand if she would like to spend the holidays in her home country. Some airlines offer exclusive fares to domestic helpers from Indonesiaor Philippines working in Hong Kong such as Cathay Pacific. If going home is not a possibility, think about sending her/him for a staycation with a friend or family in Hong Kong. A day trip to Macau or an outer island for some relaxation is fun, restful, and an a great escape from normal city life.

Add a Personal Touch

Remember to take the time to write a personalised message to show her your appreciation and gratitude. Kind words can provide encouragement and promote an ongoing positive relationship. Have your children add a handmade drawing or note to make the message more special. Add a special touch by supporting local businesses that produce cards such as Lion Rock Press. Add a special gift tag, and 100% of the profit goes to Mother’s Choice.

The holiday season is a time of sharing and happiness for both children and grown-ups. Whatever your choice, remember a positive relationship with your helper is one of the most precious gifts.

Happy Holidays!

About the author:

Julie Delignon is passionate about making the hiring, training and managing foreign domestic workers a more ethical practice throughout Asia and in the Middle East. She thrives on sharing economy, new business models and innovation as the Country Manager at HelperChoice.

* Survey conducted by HelperChoice in Asia and in the Middle East in November 2017